As someone who has worked in the international cement industry for over 15 years, I am concerned about the noise emissions that residents will experience during the operation of the proposed Orcem cement plant.

In addition to the normal operational noise, the front loaders, forklifts as well as the trucks will have back-up alarms. This will be very challenging for all residents near the plant, as it will be ongoing and irregular. In addition to this, when a conveyor or piece of production equipment has an error or there is a blockage, a bell or a siren is normally sounded. Depending on the wind, sound travels over water. Residents of more neighborhoods than just those mentioned in the Environmental Impact Report will be affected. These factors are not duly considered in the EIR.

Therefore, regardless of what decibel limits are estimated in the EIR, the following section of the Vallejo Municipal Code should apply:

“It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully make or continue, or cause to be made or continued, any loud, unnecessary, and unusual noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area …”

I have traveled to cement plants in many countries around the world and I have rarely seen a cement plant installation so close to residential areas. Orcem is a good company and I even applied with them in the past. Furthermore, using blast furnace slag to make cement makes total sense to reduce the carbon factor in cement (even though slag is a limited resource). However, this is the right project in the wrong place. Therefore, I strongly urge the City of Vallejo to work with the adjacent communities and counties to find Orcem a home in a purely industrial area and not in the proposed location next to Sandy Beach and two large apartment complexes. This would be a win-win for all, including Orcem.

Vallejo is one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. The city now has the one-time chance to market its unique location to a wide array of future-oriented, cleaner and quieter bay area investors and reap far greater benefits for all Vallejo residents in the long run.